A/N: Well... I still haven't gotten any new reviews. Hmm... Is anyone even reading anymore? Well if someone is, enjoy a bit of randomness at the end of the chapter. Enjoy and please Review!

Chapter Nine:

A Peek at the Soul

Erik had to stop his jaw from falling open. He had not been expecting her to say that. Her parents had died. How horrible. What is one supposed to say to that? Erik wasn't the most socially proper and he had no clue how to respond so he did the only thing he could think of. Kept silent and hoped she would keep talking. He was relieved when she did after a few seconds.

"They died about a year ago when I was nineteen. It was early November and they were going to a party. We had gotten into an argument. It ended with me being banished to my room. I'll never forget their last words. 'We are very disappointed with you.' I was so angry. I went in my room and sang at the top of my lungs for an hour. When they didn't return on time, our butler went out to find them. He came back alone to tell me that my parents had been in a carriage accident. The driver was not used to the snow and my father had insisted on taking the new horses he had recently bought. They had slid of the road and the carriage had rolled, killing both my parents in the process. The funeral was horrible. Our argument kept replaying in my mind especially their last words. I hated black. It was everywhere. I was miserable and alone. Then their will was read. I was left with nothing. I wasn't even mentioned. I was forced to leave my home for a distant cousin to take the title. I had nothing but the gifts they had given me over the years and was forced to sell everything, including my piano, but a couple dresses. It was the hardest thing I ever did but I knew I wouldn't survive the winter without a place to stay."

"Didn't you have family to take you in? What about the distant cousin? Surely there was someone who could have helped." To lose both parents and have nowhere to go must have been terrible.

"No. He refused to help me and no one else ever responded to my letters. I was completely on my own. I sold most of my possessions keeping nothing but two dresses and a plain locket from my grandmother before she died when I was eight. She loved me even when my parents didn't and encouraged me to continue with my music. It's been almost twelve years and I still have that locket," she said pulling a plain, dull silver locket and chain out of her pocket and showed him before putting it on. "I bought a room and stayed there, doing random jobs when I could to earn money, but my money ran out when spring came. I was forced to leave and had nowhere to go, I was forced to be in the streets." She shuttered at the memory. "I hated the streets. It was horrible. I wandered around, still doing random jobs when I could to earn enough money to eat a meal. At times I had to go hungry with no jobs or money to buy food. The first four months weren't too bad. It was uncomfortable but I was surviving. After that... Well, it wasn't good."

Erik felt like there was something else she wasn't telling him. What had happened to her after that? Why had she decided to dress as a boy? He was about to ask when she abruptly stood and turned to limp over to the organ. She began to play frantically, reminding him of his self. He thought about all he had learned. She was almost twenty years old. She had lived almost a year of her life on her own. Most of that time was spent on the streets. Something had happened to make her decide to dress as a boy. Maybe one day she would tell him. He had to admit she was strong. He didn't know if he could have survived had he been put in her shoes. He turned and watched her as she played. She really was skilled. He wondered if she would be good at the violin too. Maybe he would teach her to play. 'No, Erik. No teaching her anything. Don't you remember what happened to your last student?' he thought. He pushed his thoughts away and looked Darcey over. She was very pretty in the dress she was wearing. Her hair was much shorter than the current style but it suited her well. She looked the perfect lady. He shook his head and looked down at her foot. He supposed he should help her with it. His stomach growled lightly and he supposed he had better get them something to eat as well. He got up and went off to get them some breakfast.

'Why did I tell him so much?' she thought, pounding away on the keys. What had propelled her to say so much. She could have not said anything. Instead she had almost said too much. She had almost told him what she vowed to forget. The cause of her nightmares. She sighed and stopped pushing the keys so hard. She slowed down, closing her eyes as she willed herself to forget.

Soon a heavenly scent reached her nose and she stopped playing and opened her eyes, turning to find Erik laying out a meal for them. Her stomach growled. She had forgotten she hadn't eaten. She had gotten so used to getting up early when the sun rose and skipping breakfast that it had become a habit. She stood up and walked over to the table, sitting when he pulled out a chair for her. She murmured, "Thank you," before looking at what he had prepared. There was so much fruit. Strawberries and raspberries and even oranges. She dug into the simple meal of bread, cheese, and fruit and was soon full though she had not eaten much. She had not regained her appetite fully yet. She sat with her hands in her lap as she watched the man before her. He was wearing a dark blue vest over a black shirt, the sleeves of which were rolled up to his elbows. He looked very casual today but handsome nonetheless. She blushed when he caught her staring and looked down at her plate.

Erik smirked when he saw how embarrassed she was. He had noticed her staring and as soon as he had looked at her, her cheeks had turned as bright red as the strawberry she was playing with on her plate. She looked so... cute when she was embarrassed. She brushed her hair out of her eyes and glanced back up at him though her cheeks still were rosy. "Would you care to learn the violin?" he asked suddenly. Where had that come from? He had decided not to teach her anything and the first words out of his mouth were whether she wanted to learn. That would imply that he would teach her. What was it about her that made him not follow what his brain told him.

Darcey's eyes lit up. "Do you mean it?" she asked excitement evident in her voice and face. At his slight nod, she stood up and came around the table before throwing her arms around his neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she exclaimed, kissing his cheek before spinning around in joy. Erik froze. She had hugged him and pressed her lips to his cheek in a brief kiss. While she was dancing around the room in joy despite her hurt foot, he hurried to regain his composure before grabbing her arms and forcing her to sit back down.

"You are going to hurt yourself. Let me take care of your foot and then we can begin your lesson." She sat as still as possible but she couldn't help but feel excited. He unwrapped her foot and ankle, pleased that the swelling was almost gone. He put new ointment on her and wrapped a clean bandage around it. This done, she practically jumped up out of the chair and hurried over to the organ and where he kept his violin. He made her sit down on the bench as he pulled out the violin and the bow. He handed it to her and began to teach her. He taught her the strings and how to hold the violin correctly. He then taught her the notes that went with those strings before teaching her how to hold the bow. He placed his bare hand over hers as he showed her the proper position and motion. Four hours later and many corrections, she was able to play a few songs and her arms were exhausted. "I think that is enough for one day. You did very well," he said. "I have some errands to take care of. I will be back at six this evening. Don't go anywhere." His face was serious and she quickly nodded. "Good." He turned and left through one of his passageways.

A/N: This is a little something I call Writer's Block vs. Pirates! Enjoy the randomness!

Ahoy! There be writers block on the starboard side, Cap'n

(Sigh)We have battled this foul creature before, lad. Prepare the cannons and get ready to fire at my signal.

Aye Aye, Capt'n. (Runs to do as he is told)

FIRE! (Cannon fire)

(Cannon fire ceases) Is it gone, Cap'n?

(Looks) No. Blast it to smithereens!

Aye Aye! (Begins to fire again)